Reproduction processes are known wherein positive-working photopolymerizable elements and negative-working photosensitive elements are exposed imagewise through an original (phototool), and in the case of the latter elements are peeled apart, forming nontacky and tacky image areas. These elements can be used to prepare surprint mulitcolor proofs on a support. Surprint proofs obtained using positive-working photopolymerizable elements are described in Chu and Cohen U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,268 and surprint proofs obtained using negative-working photosensitive elements are described in Cohen and Fan U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,216. Both processes are dry processes utilizing dry particulate tones of suitable colors. Both types of proofing systems are useful for pre-press proofing. The negative-working photosensitive elements are particularly useful in the web fed segment of the printing market. It is desired that the negative-working photosensitive elements be sold in the publication web and sheet fed segments of the printing market. While the quality of the surprints is generally excellent the publication web and sheet fed printing segments of the printing industry have particularly rigid standards which require lower dot gain of the halftone dots. The term "dot gain" means the increase in dot size between printed matter and artwork, i.e., as the result of mechanical and optical operations during halftone plate making and printing. Dot gain is determined by the type of paper, ink, and printing press used to make a reproduction. The mechanical increase may be contributed when printing ink transferred from a halftone plate to a rubber blanket as used in a standard halftone process whereby the ink is squeezed onto a print stock paper surface yielding a dot of larger diameter than the corresponding dot on the halftone printing plate. The increase in dot size contributed by optical operation is the result of light scattering within the paper print stock. Dot gain in photomechanical reproduction processes is caused by the manner in which a proof, e.g., a surprint, scatters or reflects light causing halftone dots to appear larger than their actual physical size would indicate.
It is therefore desired to prepare a surprint multicolor proof which controls the dot gain by reducing light scattering. It is further desired that the result be achieved without changes in the photosensitive elements, toner formulation, or process of manufacture of the photosensitive elements.